I'm still standing.....now whatcha' gonna do?

 It don't matter what you tried to do, you couldn't destroy me! I'm still standing! I'm still strong! And I always will be. 

from the movie Antwone Fisher

Life is tough at times,

people push us down,

run over the top of us,

pretend they don't see us,

and

sometimes

just plain do us wrong.

If we started...and shared an honest secret...

all of us

have had those moments,

when our petals were blown around,

messed up,

eaten by a bug or two,

squished by an invader,

probably even peed on by a dirty, stinky dog or two

come on,

admit it,

there's been pain, and hurt, and struggle in your life, too,

hasn't there?

It may feel like our roots have entered stoney ground

and

our efforts to

pull up our nourishment seems pointless

cause

"we ain't gettin' what we need"

"we ain't gettin' nothin' at all"

we attempt to stretch around the hard barrier,

try to find the fertile ground,

feel like we are in the desert

where no water is found.

We stretch out our petals and it takes all the effort we have,

we look at ourselves...

 battered, pinched and torn,

dirt covered faces, exhausted, hopeless, worn

our stems can barely support the weight of our world,

thunder rings,

lightening strikes,

 a storm approaches,

 wind blows us to and fro,

the rain hits our face,

We're not sure we will survive...

and even think we may not want to....

want to just curl over and give up the weight...

say I'm done.

But then...without even realizing what is happening,

Suddenly...

without rhyme or reason,

the Sun comes out and shines on our faces

our roots open up and drink from the

ageless well that springs from a source we cannot see,

the color returns

and

we stretch out,

point our face to the sun

and

say to the world,

you can push me down,

run over me,

pee on me,

do me wrong...

but guess

what

I'm still standing....

Now what you gonna do!

written on this night

for my dear friend

SLA who is in the midst of a difficult time.

sending you love and hope and my faith that your world will get better.